Shibuya Station 渋谷駅

Shibuya Station Overview

Stations in central Tokyo are, by default, enormous and multi-faceted. Shibuya Station is no exception to this, and, in fact, it is one of the busiest stations in the city and, thus, the world. This station largely operates within Tokyo and the greater Tokyo area and has nine different lines with 14 different platforms spread out through the central Shibuya Ward area, both above ground and within an underground complex. 

The most prominent of these lines are the ones operated by Japan Railways, often signified with a two letter acronym starting with the letter "J." The Yamanote LIne (JY) is likely the most famous of these, arriving and departing from Platforms 1 and 2 and looping around the city. 

A little history

The station resonates in the Japanese imagination, particularly because of the story of the dog Hachikô. The latter used to accompany his master every morning to the station and to come and wait for him there in the evening.

When he died in 1925, Hachiko continued to come and wait for his master in front of the station every evening. This lasted until his death ten years later.

A bronze statue of Hachiko in front of the station's main entrance was inaugurated in 1934 and is now a meeting place for Tokyoites.

The station was also 1946 the scene of the confrontation known as the "Shibuya incident" during which nearly a thousand yakuza clashed with several hundred Taiwanese gang members. A clash of rival gangs against the backdrop of the heavy shortage that existed in post-war Japan.

• Read also: Top 5 Yamanote mascots

Opposite the station, the cars are stopped for 55 seconds at this huge pedestrian crossing to let the crowd pour into this large square illuminated by huge advertising screens.

At the intersection, the Shibuya 109 shopping center , with its tower and its 8 floors of stores dedicated to women's fashion, is a shopping mecca for young Japanese women. It is also the nerve center of the culture of the 1990s "gyaru", these tanned and discolored young girls with flashy style.

The Shibuya Stream building, which opened its doors last September, is directly connected to the station. Its 35 floors house cafes, restaurants, offices, and open spaces.